Religious Affections, Part 2

by Jonathan Edwards

V. It is no sign that religious affections are truly holy and
spiritual, or that they are not, that they come with texts of
Scripture, remarkably brought to the mind.

It is no sign that affections are not gracious, that they are occasioned by
Scriptures so coming to mind; provided it be the Scripture itself, or the truth
which the Scripture so brought contains and teaches, that is the foundation of
the affection, and not merely, or mainly, the sudden and unusual manner of its
coming to the mind.

But on the other hand, neither is it any sign that affections are gracious,
that they arise on occasion of Scriptures brought suddenly and wonderfully to
the mind; whether those affections be fear or hope, joy or sorrow, or any
other. Some seem to look upon this as a good evidence that their affections are
saving, especially if the affections excited are hope or joy, or any other
which are pleasing and delightful. They will mention it as an evidence that all
is right, that their experience came with the word, and will say, "There were
such and such sweet promises brought to my mind: they came suddenly, as if they
were spoken to me: I had no hand in bringing such a text to my own mind; I was
not thinking of anything leading to it; it came all at once, so that I was
surprised. I had not thought of it a long time before; I did not know at first
that it was Scripture; I did not remember that ever I had read it." And it may
be, they will add, "One Scripture came flowing in after another, and so texts
all over the Bible, the most sweet and pleasant, and the most apt and suitable
which could be devised; and filled me full as I could hold: I could not but
stand and admire: the tears flowed; I was full of joy, and could not doubt any
longer." And thus they think they have undoubted evidence that their affections
must be from God, and of the right kind, and their state good: but without any
manner of grounds. How came they by any such rule, as that if any affections or
experiences arise with promises, and comfortable texts of Scripture,
unaccountably brought to mind, without their recollection, or if a great number
of sweet texts follow one another in a chain, that this is a certain evidence
their experiences are saving? Where is any such rule to be found in the Bible,
the great and only sure directory in things of this nature?

What deceives many of the less understanding and considerate sort of people, in
this matter, seems to be this; that the Scripture is the word of God, and has
nothing in it which is wrong, but is pure and perfect; and therefore, those
experiences which come from the Scripture must be right. But then it should be
considered, affections may arise on occasion of the Scripture, and not properly
come from the Scripture, as the genuine fruit of the Scripture, and by a right
use of it; but from an abuse of it. All that can be argued from the purity and
perfection of the word of God, with respect to experiences, is this, that those
experiences which are agreeable to the word of God, are right, and cannot be
otherwise; and not that those affections must be right, which arise on occasion
of the word of God coming to the mind.

What evidence is there that the devil cannot bring texts of Scripture to the
mind, and misapply them to deceive persons? There seems to be nothing in this
which exceeds the power of Satan. It is no work of such mighty power, to bring
sounds or letters to persons' minds, that we have any reason to suppose nothing
short of Omnipotence can be sufficient for it. If Satan has power to bring any
words or sounds at all to persons' minds, he may have power to bring words
contained in the Bible. There is no higher sort of power required in men, to
make the sounds which express the words of a text of Scripture, than to make
the sounds which express the words of an idle story or song. And so the same
power in Satan, which is sufficient to renew one of those kinds of sounds in
the mind, is sufficient to renew the other: the different signification, which
depends wholly on custom, alters not the case, as to ability to make or revive
the sounds or letters. Or will any suppose, that texts or Scriptures are such
sacred things, that the devil durst not abuse them, nor touch them? In this
also they are mistaken. He who was bold enough to lay hold on Christ himself,
and carry him hither and thither, into the wilderness, and into a high
mountain, and to a pinnacle of the temple, is not afraid to touch the
Scripture, and abuse that for his own purpose; as he showed at the same time
that he was so bold with Christ, he then brought one Scripture and another, to
deceive and tempt him. And if Satan did presume, and was permitted to put
Christ himself in mind of texts of Scripture to tempt him, what reason
have we determine that he dare not, or will not be permitted, to put wicked men
in the mind of texts of Scripture, to tempt and deceive them? And if
Satan may thus abuse one text of Scripture, so he may another. Its being a very
excellent place of Scripture, a comfortable and precious promise, alters not
the case, as to his courage or ability. And if he can bring one comfortable
text to the mind, so he may a thousand; and may choose out such Scriptures as
tend most to serve his purpose; and may heap up Scripture promises, tending,
according to the perverse application he makes of them, wonderfully to remove
the rising doubts, and to confirm the false joy and confidence of a poor
deluded sinner.

We know the devil's instruments, corrupt and heretical teachers, can and do
pervert the Scripture, to their own and others' damnation, 2 Pet. 3:16. We see
they have the free use of Scripture, in every part of it: there is no text so
precious and sacred, but they are permitted to abuse it, to the eternal ruin of
multitudes of souls; and there are no weapons they make use of with which they
do more execution. And there is no manner of reason to determine, that the
devil is not permitted thus to use the Scripture, as well as his instruments.
For when the latter do it, they do it as his instruments and servants, and
through his instigation and influence: and doubtless he does the same he
instigates others to do; the devil's servants do but follow their master, and
do the same work that he does himself.

And as the devil can abuse the Scripture, to deceive and destroy men, so may
men's own folly and corruptions as well. The sin which is in men, acts like its
father. Men's own hearts are deceitful like the devil, and use the same means
to deceive.

So that it is evident, that any person may have high affections of hope and
joy, arising on occasion of texts of Scripture, yea, precious promises of
Scripture coming suddenly and remarkably to their minds, as though they were
spoken to them, yea, a great multitude of such texts, following one another in
a wonderful manner; and yet all this be no argument that these affections are
divine, or that they are any other than the effects of Satan's delusions.

And I would further observe, that persons may have raised and joyful
affections, which may come with the word of God, and not only so, but from the
word, and those affections not be from Satan, nor yet properly from the
corruptions of their own hearts, but from some influence of the Spirit of God
with the word and yet have nothing of the nature of true and saving religion in
them. Thus the stony ground hearers had great joy from the word; yea, which is
represented as arising from the word, as growth from a seed; and their
affections had, in their appearance, a very great and exact resemblance with
those represented by the growth on the good ground, the difference not
appearing until it was discovered by the consequences in a time of trial: and
yet there was no saving religion in these affections.[18]